The tourists residing in Catalonia, Andalusia, Madrid, and the Valencian Community exhibited very different travel patterns during the summer of 2026. According to a report from the National Observatory of Emitting Tourism (ObservaTUR), 47% of Catalans chose to travel abroad, while 36% of Andalusians opted to stay on the coast of their own community.
The analysis details that Catalans were the ones who most favored international travel: 47% went abroad, compared to 35% for the whole country. In line with this preference, the airplane was their predominant means of transport, used by 50% of travelers, compared to 32% who opted for their private car.
Likewise, the vacation periods of residents in Catalonia were longer and involved greater spending. 32% enjoyed stays of 13 days or more, compared to 21% of the national average, and 37% had a minimum budget of 2,000 euros, six points above the Spanish average.
In the case of Andalusia, the choice of destinations within the community clearly prevailed. 36% of travelers leaned towards the Costa de Andalucía, almost double the 19% recorded in the total of Spain.
The prominence of sun and beach tourism was also more pronounced in this region, where it reached 51% of travelers, ten points above the national average. The private car consolidated itself as the main vehicle for transportation, used by 54%, compared to 46% of the total in the country.
The getaways of Andalusians were also of shorter duration. 43% traveled for just one week and 21% did so for less than seven days. Regarding spending, 40% managed a budget of less than 1,000 euros, compared to 30% of the Spanish average.
In Madrid, the most striking feature was the greater foresight in organizing vacations. 63% of Madrilenians had booked some component of the trip in advance, eleven points above the national average.
Among the preferred destinations for residents of the Community of Madrid, the Cantabrian Sea and the North Coast stood out, selected by 20% of travelers, compared to 13% of the total in the country. A higher weight of long stays was also observed: 14% extended their vacations for more than 15 days, compared to 8% of the national average.
The family trip was also more relevant among the madrileños: 43% traveled as a couple with children, compared to 31% of the total in Spain.
In the Comunidad Valenciana, the differential element was the intensive use of non-commercial accommodations. 31% of tourists stayed in a second residence or in the homes of family or friends, nine points above the Spanish average. Thus, 69% needed to book accommodation, compared to 78% of the national total.
Regarding the budget, 21% of Valencian travelers allocated 2,000 euros or more to their vacations, compared to 31% recorded in the whole country.
Despite these differences between territories, the ObservaTUR study reflects a more uniform pattern in other behaviors. The structure of vacation spending was practically the same in the four communities: accommodation absorbed around 36% of the budget, dining 21%, transportation 18%, activities 11%, and shopping 10%.
No significant contrasts were detected in the willingness to finance vacations, while hotels remained the dominant accommodation formula.
According to the founder of ReiniziaT and spokesperson for ObservaTUR, Marcos Franco, the main differences among travelers from the four territories were concentrated in the chosen destination, the duration of the vacations, and the available budget, while habits related to spending and financing showed a more homogeneous behavior.